The Doctrine of the Sabbath, Chapter 22
CHAP. 22.
IN the last place J come to the speciall Duties of holinesse by which The Lords Sabbath is especially said to be sanctified, which I will run through as breifly as I can, so far as brevity may stand with plainesse & perspecuity. And first of all you shall see, that the most strict sanctification of the Lords day, which is taught and urged by the godly learned both auncient and moderne Christian Divines, Is no Judaisme. I would hauehave you to take speciall notice, that whatsoeuer things the Iewes and naturall Isralites were bound by the law …o perfo…me in the sanctification of the old Sabbath, which were meerely tipicall and ceremoniall, and were ordained and practised onelyonly to signifie some things, which are fullie accomplished in Christ; that we hold to be so abolished and made void, that Christians ought in no case to obser…e or practise them, on their new Sabbath the Lords day.
For they are all removed with the chaunge of the day, & we ought to a voyd them as much as we avoyd the old Sab: which was the seventh day from the begining of daies in the creation. As for example offering the sacrifices of slaine beasts, and mear, and drinke offerings of fine flower mingled with oyle and such like, and incense and gummes and spices, they where but tipes and shaddowes of Christ his substanciall sacrifice, and in that respect holy by Consecration. And though divers of them were indifferent and tollerable while the bodily Temple was yet standing. Yet when God hath cast them out by the destruction of the materiall temple, & the chaunge of the weekly Sabbath, they are growne unlawfull to be practised, and the reviuing of the practise of them is called abomination, Dan. 12. And apostacy from Christ, Gala. 4 5. & turning againe to weak and beggarly elements and rudiments, and becoming slaues to them, Gal. 4.9.
Wherfor we are now onelyonly to observe in our sanctification of our holie weekly Sabbath such holie duties, and exercises as are holie at al… times and in all ages, both before and under the law, and now also under the Gospell, which in their owne nature are either trulie holie or t…nde to beg it, increase, and cherish holie graces in men. And because God hath by the Gospell shined into our hearts, to giuegive us the light of the knowledge of his glorie the face of Iesus Christ 2 Cor. 4.6. And hath shed his spirit on us aboundantly through him. Tit. 3.6. And soe made us more spirituall, because also our Saviour himselfe hath taught vsus in the Gospell, that God is a spirit & they are true worshippers who worship him in spirit, Iohn, 4.23.24. Therefore the chiefest duties by which the Sabbath is sanctifi…d, are the most speciall duties of Gods worshippe, and the more spirituall, the more pleasing to God & more beseeming Christ…ans.
Soe that the first rule which is here to be giuen, and to be observed is this. That all Gods people doe chiefely labour to stirre up, and quicken the grace of God in their hearts, and holy, heavenly and supernaturall aff…ctions in their soules, that with pure mind… and spirits they may performe all duties and actions of Gods worship and seruice both publick and priuate. It is true that all times and on all daies we ought to keepe our whole spirit and soule, as well as our body pure and blameles, to serue God as well with inward affection of heart and purity of spirit, as ou…ward, visible, sencible actions and gestures of body. But because the Lords day is the most blessed daie of the w…eke, sanct…fied & set apart for the holy worshippe, and immediate service of God, and for publick and priuate service. devotion and Religious duties onelie, therefore we all ought to hauehave as great care to furnish our soules with spiritual beauties of holinesse more abundan…ly & in greater measure, as we hauehave to make cleane and neate our houses, and to decke and adorne our bodies with our best and cleanest holy daie apparell, on the Lords day. For though outward & bodily actions, & gestures are required as r…quisit and necessary in the publick worship of God, and without them it is as impossible to do that publick duty and service to God, which belongs to mutuall edification of Christians in this life, & to the solemne lauding and praising of him in publick assemblies, as it is to performe visible & senceable actions of this life by the soule only without the body. Yet bodily service & worship of God, as coming duly & diligently to the house of God to publick assemblies, hearing the word withall attentions, and speaking it with great vehemency, Praying worshipping and giving thankes in the best forme of wordes, which can be devised, and with most humble and reverent gestures of devotion, as bowing down the body to the ground, knocking of the breasts, sighing, groaning, lifting up the hands, and eyes to heaven, and the like, they all without spirituall affection and devotion of the heart, are no better then a dead karcast without a soule, yea they are filthy hyp…crisie, and mockerie of God, and lothsome abomination in his sight as the Lord by the Prophet testifieth Isa. 1 c: 10: to the 16: verse: & 29:13: And therefore let our first and chiefest care bee about the fitting and preparing of our hearts, and filling and, replenishing our soules with spiriruall affections, and quickening and stirring up inward and spirituall grace within us; for these are the life and soule of all religious duties. & of all holy worship of God, & without them we can̄ot in the least measure sanctifie Gods holy day, nor performe any least duty of sanctificatiō acceptable to God: Now the speciall means which serve for the quickning of spirituall grace, & kindling of spirituall devotion in our hearts, are diuers: The First is that which J hauehave spoken of befor in the duties which concerne Rest, to weet: a totall sequestring of our selues from all worldly businesse, & puting away all earthly thoughts, cares, & delights, that our whole heart and soule, & all our affections being purged from all such drosse, may hauehave roome for holinesse only, and for spirituall devotion and motions of the spirit: For no man can serve two Masters at once, God and the world: Cast out earthlie carnall thoughts, and spiritual and heavenlie affections will easilie enter, and beare sway:
And because this sequestring of our selves from cares of the world: must go befor true sanctification in order & time, therfor undoubtedlie the beginning of the Lords Sab: daie, is there where the old Iewish Sab: ended, that is in the evening of the Saturdaie: And certainlie when men taking their Rest from labour the whole night befor the Lords daie for sequestring themselves from worldlie businesse, fitting of their soules with spirituall devotion, and stirring vp of grace in their hearts, then do they most profittablie begin their Sabbath, for by the meanes the time of preparation and quitting of the minde from worldlie troublesome thoughts, shall go before the time of practise and publick assemblies Wherein they are to appeare before God, and to performe the maine duties of Sanctification and of his holy worship. And her… J cannot passe by without some reproofe that evill carnall custome, most worthy to be condemned which is to common among our Cittizens, who defer their reckoni…g with their worke-men untill the evening and night which beginns the Lords day. Let me here admonish you all to forsake this practise, if you louelove the Lord, and will honour his holy Sab.
The second meanes is to meditate on those things which may stirre up our dull spirits, and quicken grace in our hearts, as first upon the greatnesse, holinesse, and gl…rie …f the Lord, and more specially to present our selves when the light of the day commeth, & both to speak to him in praier and praises, to heare him speake to us in his word read and preached. This must needs moue and stirre up spirituall devotion and affection: as we see by experience in worldly things, how carefull we are to trimme and fit our selves when we are to go before an earthly King or some great Nobles. Secondly, to consider what holinesse and purity, especially of heart and soule is required in vsing the publick holie ordinances of God, and in approaching neare to him, to worship him in his holy place his owns house. As wee reade Leviticus, 20.7. 1 Peter 1.15.16.
The holinesse that becomes Gods house is not vanishing showes, and shaddowes which passe awaie in the doing and vsing of them, as bowing, cringing, and such gestures, but a spirituall and eternall holinesse which lasts for ever, and can never bee defaced nor perish, as David shewes Psal. 93.5. It is better then thousands of Rammes Mich. 6.6.7.8, It is putting on of Humility, Mercy, meeknesse, and all other affections, and departing from all iniquity, 2 Tim. 2.19. It is the Jmage of Christ in the new creature which is created after God in righteousnesse and holinesse, that is; which cannot lye nor deceiue by faiding, but lasts for ever. Ephes. 4.24. Thirdly, to call to mind those Scripturs which require holy preparation as Eccle. 5.1. which shewes Gods anger against such as come to his house without due furniture and a wedding garment, as Mat. 22.12. Fourthly, to meditate on that whereof the Sabbath is a signe and pledge vntounto us, even our Resurrection to eternall life, and to the eternall Rest of glory in heaven in the sight and fruition of God, whom none can see without holinesse. Thi… is most powerfull to stirre up spirituall affection and to quicken grace in our hearts.
The third meanes is earnest prayer to God for his spirit and increase of his spirituall grace in our hearts, that is of great force if it be importunate Luk. 11.13. & 18.1. and fervent, Iam. 5.16. And therefor when the Lords day begineth in the evening or day going of the Satturday, we must make speciall prayers for this purpose, as also in the morning when we awake and see the light of the Lords holy day.
Jn the next place after we are thus prepared, wee must set our selves wholy to the performance of the duties of holinesse, which are required for the sanctification of an holy Sabbath to the Lord, which are either publick or private. The first publick duty is diligent assembling of our selues with the congregation of Gods people in the house of God the place of publick assemblies. This is so necessary that without it there can be no solemne service, nor publick worship of God performed by us. This the Lord requires in the law, where he joynes these two together, as in seperable companions, even holy convocations and keeping of a Sabbath. Ex. 12.16. These our Saviour Christ did frequent though Lord of the Sabbath, as well as the fathers did under the law, as appears Mark. 1.27. And so did his Apostles on the new Sabbath the Lords day. 1 Cor, 16.1.2.
The second publick duty in the publick worship of God, is Praier, lauding and Praising him, and offering vp sacrifices of thankfulnesse and the first fruites a…d calues of our lippes, in a solemne orderly and decent manner and order. This the holy men of God carefully performed in the House of God on their Sabbath in the old Testament: as David shewes. Psal. 5.7. & 42.4. And this our Saviour commandes to us for an holy duty in Gods house, where hee cals the house of God the house of prayer Mat. 21.13. that not only to the Jews, but also to al beleeving nations as the Prophets words by him cited do shew Isa. 56:7. This the godly at Philippi, where they had no Synagogue nor Church, performed in a publick assembly by a Riuers side, Act. 16.13. This was practised by the first Christians at Iudaea Act. 2.46.47. and this the Apostle injoynes, Heb, 13.15. This David foretold Psal. 118.24. In a word all Scriptures which teach us, to call upon God, to pray to confesse our sinnes, to humble our selves before God, to worshippe him and to giuegive thankes, and do commend these for holy duties, they doe much more teach vsus to performe them on the Lords day, in our holy assemblies.
The third sort of publicke duties are the holy ordinances of God, which tend properly to beget and increase holinesse, and to teach Christians Gods holy worship and feare, to weet: the publick reading and and expounded of the word of God, and preaching and Catechising on the Mininisters part, and on the peoples part, reverent attention & hearing of the word of God. This was a constant practise from the daies of old which the Fathers obserued soe long as the Church of the Jewes, and first temple was standing. As appeares. Ast. 13.15 & cap. 15.21.27.
Also by our Saviours practise. preaching in the Sinagogues every sabbath day Luk. 4.16. Mar. 1.31. And this the Apostles practised in holie assemblies which they appointed to be kept on the Lords day, and this they commanded to be performed by all the Christian Churches, as appeares Act. 11.25. & 20, 7. & 1 Cor. 16.1: & 14.23.26. Colos. 4.14 1 Thes. 5.27.
Fourthly, besides preaching, reading, and expounding, of the holy Scripturs, ther is also the administration of the Sacraments, as of Baptisme and the Lords Supper, the later of which especially is an holy sab: daies ordinance of Christ, first instituted in the assembly of his Apostles, & not to be administred and receiued ordinarily but in Sab: assē blies, and publick meeting of the Church comming together on the Lords day as we gather from. Act. 20.7. & 1 Cor. 11.20.33. And that publick Baptisme is most fit to bee administered on the Lords day in the publicke assembly, these reasons sh…w. 1. Because it is joyned with preaching, Mathew, 28.16: Secondly, because it is the receiuing of the Baptized into the true Visible Church. Thirdly, in publick it may bee better perfomed by the joynt prayers of the whole Congregation· Fourthly, it may much profit the whole publick congregation of Gods people by putting them in minde of the covenant made in Baptisme.
The fifth sort of publick Sabbath duties, are workes of mercy & charity which are fruites of faith working by louelove. Unto which duties the publick Ministers soe often occasion is offered, are to excite up the people, and they ought to offer freelie and to make collections for the poore Saints. This St. Paul taught 1 Cor. 16.1:2: and this was in times and ages next after the Apostles practised, and performed. as Iustin Martyr testifies Apolog. 2: pag. 77.
Sixthly, publick censures of the Church, and actions of correction are most fitly performed in publick assemblies of the whole Church on the Lords day, such as open rebuke of scandalous, sinners, before all the people, that others may feare Excommunication and casting out, & excluding from outward communion, obstinate and refractary offenders, as hereticks, adulterers, incestuous persons, & such like. Receiving into the Church of God such as were cast out, upon their humble confession, and publick repentance openly before the whole Church. These are not to be done in corners but in the face of the Church, as St. Paul ordained by commandement from the Lord, & by direction from the spirit of God. 1 Tim. 5, 20▪ 1 Cor. 5.4. & 2 Cor: 2:6:7: and as divers of the auncients hauehave held and shewed in their practise.
Seventhly, ordaining and calling of Bishops, Pastors, and Elders, being of old performed in the face of the whole Church, with publick prayers, and laying on of hands, Act. 1.15. & 14.23. 2 Cor. 8.19. As it was of old, soe at this day is a verie fitt dutye of the Lord holy weekly Sabbath.
Besides these publick duties, there are diuers priuate duties which are necessary both to make the publick duties effectuall, and frutefull, and to testifie to the Praise and glory of God the power of his holy ordinances and the worke of the spirit by them upon our hearts and soules.
The first of these is private prayer, either by our selves alone or in our families with our Children, servants, and others of the houshold, for if we must pray continually when just occasion, and oppertunity is offered as the Apostle teacheth, 1 Thes. 5. then most especially before we go vntounto, and after we returne from the publicke assemblies, for a blessing upon Gods Publick ordinances both to our selves and others: Our Saviour bids us pray in secret, and David exhorts vsus to commune with God on our beds, and to pray after his example, morning, evening and at noone day:
The second is meditation of such as are alone, on things heard in the Church, and repetition in the family for the printing of the the word in their mindes and memories, and mutuall instruction and exhortation, one of another, without which the word will take small effect afterwards and quicklie beforgotten: Saint Paul doth intimate the necessary vse of this duty; where he commands women to aske and learne of their husbands at home, and not to speak in the Church 1 Cor: 14:35: & 1 tim: 2:11.
This is the holy duty which God commended in Abraham: Gen: 18: That he did command and teach his houshold & Children which few men can do conveniently on the week daies, when every one is about their worke, some in one place and some in another, onelyonly the Lords day is the fittest. The third is rejoycing, singing of Psalmes, and Praising God in our families, this David commends for a duty of the Sabbath. Psal. 92.1. And this Paul and Silas taught us by their example Act. 16.35. Where they two being in prison and in the stocks, are said on the Lords day at midnight, to pray and sing Psalmes with soe loud a voyce, that the Prisoners heard them. And yet I hope none dare call them Puritants, and Hipocrites, as the profane miscreaunts of our time call all the familes in which they heare singing of Psalmes on the Lords day.
The Fourth is visiting of the sick, & of prisoners, releiving the poore and needy, perswading of disagreeing Neighbours to peace, and reconciliation: These are works of merciemercy and of Christian louelove and charity, & hauehave no proper end but to bring honour to God, and to make him to be praised, of his people and his people to be edified in louelove. And being an holie private service of God, they may be done on the Lords daie, & our Church Doctrine doth teach them, and Ecclesiasticall constitutions allow them.
The last duty is meditating on Gods workes, magnifying them and speaking of them with admiration one to another, if upon any just occasion, or for necessarie refreshing we walke diuers together into the feilds. This David mentions in the Psalme for the Sabbath day Psal. 92, 45. Where he saith: thou Lord hast made me glad through thy workes, and I will tryumph in the workes of thy hands. O Lord how great are thy workes? Thus much for the speciall duties both publick & priuate, which Christians are bound to performe on the Lords day, which is the Christian Sabbath.
Now the consideration of these severall duties, being some publick, some priuate, some more proper for the Sabbath, and some for all daies, offer to us somethings more to be obserued. First the publicke duties of the whole Church, together must first be regarded and preferred before priuate duties at home, and mumbling of private praies with our selves in the Church, because they make more for Gods glory and mutuall edification, and do shew and declare our Christian vnity.
Secondly, publick duties must take up the best, and greatest part of the day, because they are proper to the day, and to publick assemblies, which are to be kept weekly on the Sabbath day: Priuate duties are common to all daies of the weeke.
Thirdly, the duties of mercy & charity to men, must giuegive place to the mediate worship of God, when there is no vrgent necessity, and they may bee deferred to another day, without any inconvenience. Men hauing oppertunity before must not put them off, vntill the Lords daie, and then by them shoulder out holy duties of piety and Gods solemne worshippe. Lastly, by the many and severall duties required on the Lords Sabbath, wee see that to him who hath a care and respect of them all, there will be no time left for for idle words, and toyish talking, praunsing in pride and vanity, nor for any carnall sports, pastimes, and pleasures. But Gods day wilbe found little enough for holy duties which are to be performed. And therefore I dare not allow any liberty for any sports how honest & lawful so ever at other times, except they bee holy, and Gods worship be furthered, and no better duties by them be hindered: Which no man can in reason conceive or imagine. If God be to be loved aboue all, and honoured and served with all the heart and mind, soule & strength as the law commands. J do not see but all Gods people ought so to do, especially on the Lords day, & to be discontent & grieued that they can̄ot do it so fully as they ought, & not to allow to themselves in these things anie liberty which may hinder Gods holy worship. The greatest opposites of the weekly Christians Sabbath, when they hauehave most vehemently disputed, & spent al their argumēts, against the observation of the Lords day for an holy Sab: & day of holy rest, are by the cleare evidence of the truth so convinced, that will they, nill they, their conscience forceth them to confesse: That the spēding of the whole day even the space of four & twenty hours of the Lords day, an holie rest & cessation from all worldly thoughts & cares & from all seculiar affaires, & in holy duties, of Gods worship & service, both publick and private, is a thing Commendable & praise worthy in them, and pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God. To that one only wise omnipotent, immortall, and eternall God, who in all things and ouer all enimies maketh his truth to triumph, be all honour, glory, and praise now and for euer.
FINIS.
End of the text · George Walker, The Doctrine of the Sabbath (1638)